Monster Cropping
Definition: Monster cropping is a cloning technique in which cuttings are taken from a cannabis plant that is already in the flowering stage, then rooted and returned to an 18-hour light schedule. The cuttings revegetate, often growing unusual single-blade leaves, and eventually produce very bushy plants with many branching tops.
How Monster Cropping works
A normal clone comes from a plant in veg and roots in about 10 to 14 days. A monster-cropped clone comes from a plant that is already flowering, so it first has to switch its hormonal program back to vegetative growth. That reversal is what makes the resulting plant so unusual.
How it’s done
- Take 4 to 6 inch cuttings from lower branches, usually 2 to 3 weeks into flower.
- Trim off most of the early bud material and dip the cut end in rooting gel or powder.
- Root in a humid dome under 18 to 24 hours of gentle light.
- Expect rooting to take 2 to 4 weeks, and expect some cuttings to fail.
What revegging looks like
New growth often comes in with smooth, round, or single-finger leaves and twisted shoots. After a few weeks, normal serrated leaves return, and the plant tends to throw out branches from many nodes at once, giving a dense, bushy shape.
Why use it
The main reason is preservation. When you grow from seed, you don’t know which phenotype you have until it flowers. Monster cropping lets you save a standout plant after you’ve seen its traits, then keep it as a mother plant or run it again. The slow rooting and lower success rate make it a backup tool, not an everyday method.